Are You The Sweet Invention of a Lover's Dream?
by Ohtori Choutarou
Summary: Thrill Pair. Fuji is a prince. And Echizen is your average poor person. Just your average Cinderella story...almost. Betaed. Chapter 5 Up
1. One I

A/N: First chapter. Kinda rushed. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own the character's or personalities of Prince of Tennis. HOWEVER. I have full control over what they do in this fic. Neither do I own any of the cinderella stories.

Warning: This may not be the fairytale you all want to happen.

**PLEASE READ THE LYRICS.  
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE STORY BETTER.**

Summary: AUThrill PairDont you hate those cliche cinderella stories? Well, here's another one for you. Fuji Syuusuke, the first son of the King and Queen of Seigaku, was giving a ball, and every eligable woman in the country was invited. His mother went behind his back, just because she wanted an heir to the throne, after Syuusuke. Syuusuke always felt trapped within the castle walls, but one day, on his daily sneakings from the castle, he bumps into a small golden eyed boy and he knew from the look in his eyes, that he felt the same way. Slightly based on Cinderella. The Movie. The one with Brandy and Whitney Huston in it

Other little things you might not be aware of:

-_Lyrics_  
-_'Thoughts'_  
-**Emphasised Word**

**Are You The Sweet Invention of A Lover's Dream?**  
Chapter 1. The Dearest Love In All The World Is Waiting Somewhere For Me.

_Impossible. For a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage.  
Impossible. For a plain country pumpkin and a prince to join in marriage.  
A slipper made of glass is just a shoe.  
And dreamers never make the dream come true.  
Impossible._

It was a bustling day in the marketplace. Today, Prince Syuusuke was no longer a prince, but just Fuji, a peasant wandering the marketplace, looking at everything that caught his interest.

"Cinderella! Hurry up with those packages!" An angry voice yelled out from the middle of a crown. Fuji's warm smile slowly turned down as he saw the upperclass woman and two hideous ladies following her. Straying behind was a small child carrying things from bags to boxes and hats.

"Yes Stepmother." Squeaked the packages. He slightly chuckled, and intently went to help the poor young child. All of a sudden, a horse drawn carriage crossed the path and the little one dropped everything.

As the child went to collect the fallen packages, Fuji came over to help. Upon closer recognition, he saw a small young girl. Her cheeks were flushed as he helped her up.

"You know those royals. Not really caring if they get in anyone's way." He said handing her the rest of her fallen items.

"Oh, Im sure they had to go somewhere very important." She said meekly.

"Yeah right." He snorted on the inside.

"Thank you, kind sir, for helping me." She bowed down to him.

"My pleasure." He smiled again and brought her hand to his lips. He turned around and walked off.

'CINDERELLA!' was heard in the distance as Fuji walked off. Another good deed done for the day.

* * *

As he walked on, he noticed a small boy sulking. Much in the same way when Fuji returns to the castle and his mask crumples. He couldn't help but be drawn to the boy. 

He had jet black hair with a hint of green, thanks to the sun's sweet kiss. His eyes were a lovely golden colour, and when he noticed a presence in front of him and looked at the young prince, Fuji drowned in their depths.

"Hm? Whats a cute thing like you looking so sad on a day like this?" He asked with a smile. He chuckled on the inside upon noticing how corny that sounded.

_The sweetest sound Ill ever hear are still inside my head._

The young one looked up at him with sad eyes.

"I feel...lonely." He said looking down at his feet. Fuji sympathized and sat beside him.

"I know how you feel." He said casually, leaning back on his hands. Sweat was glistening on his forehead. 'Its really hot today' he thought as he unbuttoned one of the buttons on his shirt.

"You know, Im not allowed to talk to strangers." The golden eyed one said with a slight smirk. Fuji opened his eyes slightly to look at the boy. He turned back and gazed out at all the little kids playing with eachother, or watching the puppet show on the street.

"Well, can this charming stranger find out your name?"

_The kindest words Ill ever know are waiting to be said._

"I dont know. Why should I trust a stranger, whom I just met on the street, with something as personal as my name?" Fuji smiled. _'This boy is very interesting', _Fuji thought.

"Im sorry, I didn't know you were so overprotective of something like your name." Fuji said lightly.

"Its alright." He paused. "Its just Ive lived a pretty sheltered life. Doing the same old routine every single day," Fuji interupted him, yet continued the senctence. "Until the point where you just want to run away."

"And never come back." They said at the same time. They looked at eachother, and the boy slightly smiled at him. Fuji's eyes opened fully, and gave him a very genuine smile.

_The most entrancing sight of all is yet for me to see._

Fuji noticed something at that moment. The way the boy smiled, was incredible. Such a gentle, sweet thing was hidden under this cold, yet strong, but lonely exterior. It was absolutely gorgeous.

"Echizen." The boy whispered.

"Pardon?" Fuji answered politely.

"Echizen Ryoma. That's my name." He replied a bit louder. Fuji smiled again. "Dont you think your mouth muscles are going to cramp from smiling like that all the time?" Echizen asked him.

"You have some attitude there, Echizen. However, I must be off." Fuji stood up and brushed the imaginary dust from his pants as he turned to face Echizen.

"It was nice talking to you." He bowed slightly and started walking in the opposite direction.

"Wait! I didn't get your name!" Echizen yelled.

_And the dearest love in all the world is waiting somewhere for me._

Fuji looked over his shoulder and said a single word.

_Is waiting somewhere, somewhere for me._

"Syuusuke."

TBC.

* * *

**(c) Ohtori Choutarou **

* * *

**A/N: Review alot for more chapters. I like reviews. I want like 100 for this chapter!**  
**Just kidding, only 5, PLEASE!  
Answer these questions in your review!!  
Do you think it ran smoothly?  
Good title for the chapter? Story?  
What about the basic storyline. Sounds good enough for you?  
Wouldn't it be funny if Tezuka was really Cinderella? Haha, Tezuka in a dress wearing glass slippers.  
Haha.  
REVIEW!  
**


	2. Two II

Are You The Sweet Invention of A Lover's Dream?

A/N: Second chapter. I dont know if there is anything interesting. But still, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own the character's or personalities of Prince of Tennis. HOWEVER. I have full control over what they do in this fic. Neither do I own any of the cinderella stories.

Warning: This may not be the fairytale you all want to happen.

**PLEASE READ THE LYRICS.**

**YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE STORY BETTER.**

In This Chapter: **Hints of FujiSaeki**

Summary: AUThrill PairDont you hate those cliche cinderella stories? Well, here's another one for you. Fuji Syuusuke, the first son of the King and Queen of Seigaku, was giving a ball, and every eligable woman in the country was invited. His mother went behind his back, just because she wanted an heir to the throne, after Syuusuke. Syuusuke always felt trapped within the castle walls, but one day, on his daily sneakings from the castle, he bumps into a small golden eyed boy and he knew from the look in his eyes, that he felt the same way. Slightly based on Cinderella. The Movie. The one with Brandy and Whitney Huston in it.

Other little things you might not be aware of:  
-_Lyrics  
_-_'Thoughts'  
_-**Emphasised Word**

Chapter 2. Personal Servant - Saeki Koujirou

When Fuji finally got back to his royal chambers, Saeki Koujirou, his personal servent, and resident best friend, came out and scolded him.

"Everytime you do this, theres more of a chance of you getting hurt, and then the king and queen, your parents, will blame me for letting you out, and not telling them. Then for sure they will throw me out, or worse, kill me!" Saeki started to rid Fuji of his shirt.

"But you should have seen them. I was surrounded by peasants, and none of them were prodding me or anything to marry them. I was just a normal among them." Fuji sighed as he turned to face Saeki, who was currently occupied with getting Fuji some royal clothes. Saeki slowly turned around to look at the shirtless Fuji on the bed.

"Syuusuke." Saeki paused. He only used his first name when he's serious. "You truly dont know how lucky you are to be living like this, do you? You are the sole heir of the richest people in all the land! There are so many people who would love to be you. Please don't take any offense when I say this, but there are people out there who would deserve this position more than you. They would accept it, and bear the burden without complaining, or risking the life of their personal servant every time they went out. I really, dont understand why you hate this life so much." Saeki turned around as he tried to blink a few tears away.

Everyone loved Fuji, or more like, everyone envied him. Yet, they all hold respect for him. They hold respect for him because they feared him. He was, soon to be, the most powerful ruler, and with that power he could do anything he wanted, including exiling people just because they annoyed him.

However, Fuji had other plans. He didn't want to be in control of that kind of power. He just wanted to be normal, instead of having his life pre-planned for him at birth.

After listening to his dearest friend finish, he heard a few sniffling noises. He got up and walked over to Saeki and hugged him around the waist.

"I didn't choose this life you know." He nuzzled his neck and sighed softly. "You're so un-selfish. Always thinking about others. I am the one that envy's you." He whispered softly.

"How can you be like this, yet still think about others. Sometimes, I think it should be you in my position, and me in yours." Saeki turned around in Fuji's arms.

"You shouldn't say that Your Highness. Its not proper." At the sound of Fuji's title. He let go of Saeki, and sat back down on his bed. Saeki used his title less than he used his first same.

Saeki came back from inside the closet with a blue satin vest, that matched Fuji's brilliant blue eyes, and a white dressy top. He started putting on the shirt and buttoning it up when Fuji started talking again.

"I met the most interesting boy today. By the way he talked, I could tell he feels the same way I do."

"That's nice." He said unsarcastically.

"He really interests me. I hope I see him again soon." Saeki finished buttoning up his white shirt, and started on his vest.

"Did you find out his name?" Saeki replied, slowly buttoning his vest, fixing the shirt underneath as he went.

"Yeah, Echizen Ryoma." Saeki paused at this.

"Echizen Ryoma?." He stood up and looked at Fuji in the eye.

"Yeah. You know him?" Fuji looked at him curiously.

"Umm, no." Saeki finished buttoning the vest, and fixed the collar and cuffs of the shirt.

"Saeki. You know something you're not telling me." Saeki tried to push Fuji towards the door.

"Your parents requested an audience with their son. Don't keep them waiting." He struggled. Fuji abruptly turned around and Saeki collided with a well muscled chest he was graced with seeing on a daily basis. Fuji stared into Saeki's eyes, almost straight through to his soul, trying to read him.

"You can tell me. Can't you?" He said while slowing inching his face closer to that of his servants.

"Umm.." Saeki stuttered.

"Maybe, this'll change your mind." Their lips met, and almost immediately, Fuji started to become more insistant. Saeki tried his best not to get pulled in, but he was slowly failing. He didn't know why he didn't want to tell Fuji this. He just had a feeling that it would be best that he wouldn't know. Something in his gut was telling him that if he told Fuji who Echizen Ryoma really was, something big was going to happen.

Fuji pulled away and stared at a dazed Saeki.

"Well?" Saeki sighed. _'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Or at least, thats how the saying goes.' _He thought.

"Echizen...works in the royal stables. If he's the same person you're talking about, then, I suggest you should go and see him. He's a stuck up, cocky brat with a bad attitude. But he's had a hard life, and he rarely opens up to anyone." Saeki finished.

"See, now that wasn't so hard." Fuji smiled. "Now, you said something about my parents wanting to meet me? I should go then." Fuji pecked Saeki on the lips and left without another word.

Saeki just stared after him.

"Really, the nerve of that guy. Thinking he can seduce me for all of his answers. But soon, he will find himself someone to love, instead of using me to stop from being sexually frustrated all the time. When that happens, what will become of me?" Saeki said out loud, not really talking to anyone.

'You don't know, how much it hurts, to have unrequited love.' He thought in the back of his mind. He sat for a few more moments, and stared into space. After that, he dismissed all thoughts of the prince and went back to his daily chores as his personal servant.

TBC.

**A/N: Sorry if there's a bit of confusion with the whole Saeki/Fuji thing.****Dont worry, this is a Fuji/Ryo pairing, but poor Saeki is being used as a doll to help Fuji release his sexual frustration. What?! Fuji is 19! Any 19 year old that has to remain celibate until he gets married would have some frustration. Well, what his parents wont know, wont hurt him eh? ****Okay! Reviews! Please review! It means the world to me!  
****And if you have any confusing thoughts about this story, voice them, and I will clear everything up!**


	3. Three III

Are You The Sweet Invention of A Lover's Dream?  
A/N: Third Chapter. Cinderella shows up again. What fun! But before, Fuji has a meeting with his oh so loveable parents.

Disclaimer: I do not own the character's or personalities of Prince of Tennis. HOWEVER. I have full control over what they do in this fic. Neither do I own any of the cinderella stories.

Warning: This may not be the fairytale you all want to happen.  
**PLEASE READ THE LYRICS.  
YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE STORY BETTER.**

In This Chapter: **Hints of people spontaineously bursting into song and dance. **

Summary: AU//Thrill Pair//Dont you hate those cliche cinderella stories? Well, here's another one for you. Fuji Syuusuke, the first son of the King and Queen of Seigaku, was giving a ball, and every eligable woman in the country was invited. His mother went behind his back, just because she wanted an heir to the throne, after Syuusuke. Syuusuke always felt trapped within the castle walls, but one day, on his daily sneakings from the castle, he bumps into a small golden eyed boy and he knew from the look in his eyes, that he felt the same way. //Slightly based on Cinderella. The Movie. The one with Brandy and Whitney Huston in it//

Other little things you might not be aware of:  
-_Lyrics  
-'Thoughts'_  
-**Emphasised Word**

Chapter 3. His Royal Highness Prince Fuji Syuusuke is Giving a Ball

Fuji stepped through the large red velvet curtain that seperated the doorway and his parents bechambers. His mother was sitting across from his father, and currenty both engaged in a battle royale chess game. Fuji cleared his throat and his mother shreiked and ran over to Fuji squeezing him.

"Its good to see you too Mother." He breathlessly panted out. She let go of him and smiled.

"Syuusuke dear. Your father and I have been discussing lately." She started.

_'That's never good.'_ Fuji thought dimly. "Well, since you're going to turn 20 soon, the rightful age to take up the throne, we've been thinking that you need to find a bride. After that, maybe even produce an heir to take up the throne after you." She said calmly. Fuji had known this was coming.

"Dearest Mother, you know I want to fall in love before I am to be wed." He said looking down at her. At this, his father got up and walked towards them. He rubbed his hands on his mothers arms.

"You know son, we, as in, your mother and I, aren't going to be around forever. The sooner you produce an heir, the better." He stated.

"You guys married out of love. Why can't I?" Fuji was slightly irritated and his attempts to hide it were futile. He had had this conversation more than once, and he would have been happy if it hadn't happened again. Usually, the idea of another ball would be presented and that's what he hated the most.

"Well, to give you a push, we were thinking of throwing you another ball with all the eligable women in the country invited."

_'Bingo.'_ Fuji was beyond annoyed now.

"Mother. I am not going to have another ball. I am sick of all these women wanting me for my money, or my looks, or because I am to be king. I completely refuse. Let me fall in love on my own, and in my own way. That's final." Fuji turned and walked calmly out of the room. His mother stared after him and squeaked.

"Did he just do that?" The Queen squeaked at her husband. "I think he did." He stated simply.

"Saeki!" She called.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Said Saeki that randomly appeared from behind the curtain. He always seemed to be at the High Royals' beck and call.

"Prepare a proclomation from the prince." She said standing up straight having a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Are you sure that's a good idea Your Highness? I mean, according to what the Prince was saying-"

"Saeki." She turned and gave him a stern look. Saeki just turned his head back to the paper he was writing on. The queen cleared her throat and began to speak.

"His Royal Highness, Prince Fuji Syuusuke, is giving a ball."

* * *

Fuji wasn't in the greatest of moods. Every single time he and his parents had **the** conversation, it always ended up in his mom secretly planning a ball. Of course, he would always find out very soon. He did live in the palace, and he always knew what was going on. Sometimes the credit of Fuji's knowledge went to Saeki. 

The young prince had decided to take a walk around the castle grounds. There he could do anything. He could play golf, go swimming, play tennis, sit in the hot baths, get a massage, ride his horses, even play billiards. There were so many choices, but Fuji opted towards going for a walk.

His quick, lean legs led him towards the stables. That's when he remembered, 'Echizen Ryoma works at the stables.'

He went to the shelter where all the horses were kept. Oishi, the person who is in charge of managing the stables, along with his parter Kikumaru, were currently grooming the horses when Fuji stepped in.

They looked up from what they were doing to stare at the beauty who walked through the door. They quickly looked towards eachother, and Kikumaru got up and walked off.

"Good Afternoon, Your Highness." Oishi said smiling.

"Hello Oishi. I presume you've kept this stable in top shape?" He said swiping a finger across a plank of wood and inspecting how much dust there was before blowing the dust away with a dignified puff.

"Oh yes of course. And, if I may ask, what brings you here this time of day? According to your schedual, you don't go riding until tomorrow." Oishi said.

"I was just passing by. I dont really plan on riding today." Fuji's eyes darted around the inside of the building, hoping to catch a glance of the boy, Echizen, he saw yesterday. However, Oishi noticed this, and said, "Are you looking for something, You Highness?".

Fuji just shook his head. He turned around, signalling he was leaving. He paused at the doorway.

"Oh and by the way, you can call me Fuji you know. And tell Eiji I said hi." Oishi smiled as the prince walked out. He really liked how Fuji was always so calm, and nice around the servants. Even so nice that he lets them call him by his name.

Kikumaru came back and promptly went back to grooming the horse he had started before.

"Did you make sure none of them knew Fuji was coming?" Eiji nodded.

"Okay. I don't know if we should keep doing this. The prince needs to know who is working for him." He sighed.

"I know. But, there are some things that just cant be changed. Atobe said that they weren't ready to see him face to face yet." Oishi sighed again. Atobe was the person that employed them and put them in charge of the stables. He was very arrogant and could get very full of himself, but he was very kind hearted on the inside, despise how much he showed it on the outside.

He had asked, demanded, that no one but the head servents of their section should be allowed to see the prince. It was something Atobe believed that they were, "unworthy" as he calls it.

* * *

Ryoma stared off into the distance as he watched Syuusuke walk away. 

"Syuusuke, I think I have heard that somewhere before." He whispered to no one in particular. After Syuusuke talked to him, no matter how unimportant that conversation was, it made him feel a bit better.

He started to walk around the marketplace, humming a song he heard earlier. He stopped by a flower shop and stared at the variety of them all. He picked one up and sniffed it. He turned around and looked at couple arguing, he stepped up to the lady who was in near tears and gave her the flower.

She smiled at him, and Ryoma began to walk in the direction of the post he tied his horse to.

Suddenly, one of he castle's carriages came down the road leading into the marketplace and stopped in the central square. Having caught Echizen's attention, he went down to check what the comotion was all about.

Saeki Koujirou stepped out and unrolled the scroll he held in his hand. With a booming voice he said, "A proclomation from the prince." All the girls started squealing and giggling.

Saeki held his hand up and they all silenced. He started once again.

"His royal highness, Prince Fuji Syuuske, is giving a ball, and all eligable women in the kingdom are invited."

Behind him, carts came out and started collecting all the items they would need for the ball. All the girls started to dance and sing with eachother, and others just talking about what they were going to wear. Two beauty lacking girls were talking with their mother about how the prince would want to marry them, and a girl known as Cinderella just stood there, holding her many packages, and said, "The prince is giving a ball."

** TBC **

** A/N: Okay. Last time I didn't get 5 reviews, but I let it pass because I got 9 for the first.  
It's not alot people...5! That's it!  
They mean alot to me!**

**And yeah, I was planning to make this chapter longer, but I didn't find the need to. So please review, and tell me what you think! Next Chapter: The Prince and the Stable Boy.**

**OH! And I need a BETA for this story!  
**


	4. Four IV

A/N: Wooh. Chapter Four. Some of Ryoma's past, and he finds out that Fuji, or better known as Syuusuke, is the prince! Dun dun duuuuun.

Disclaimer: I do not own the character's or personalities of Prince of Tennis. HOWEVER. I have full control over what they do in this fic. Neither do I own any of the cinderella stories.

Warning: This may not be the fairytale you all want to happen.

In This Chapter: **No warnings for this chapter. **

Summary/AU/Thrill Pair/Dont you hate those cliche cinderella stories? Well, here's another one for you. Fuji Syuusuke, the first son of the King and Queen of Seigaku, was giving a ball, and every eligable woman in the country was invited. His mother went behind his back, just because she wanted an heir to the throne, after Syuusuke. Syuusuke always felt trapped within the castle walls, but one day, on his daily sneakings from the castle, he bumps into a small golden eyed boy and he knew from the look in his eyes, that he felt the same way. /Slightly based on Cinderella. The Movie. The one with Brandy and Whitney Huston in it/

Other little things you might not be aware of:

-_Lyrics_  
-_'Thoughts'_  
-**Emphasised Word**

**Thanks Trumpet-Geek for beta-ing this chapter. Much love.**

* * *

**Are You The Sweet Invention of A Lover's Dream?**  
Chapter 4. Ryoma Echizen, the Stable Boy

Ryoma Echizen, a poor boy who worked in the royal stables, tended to all of the horses' needs and prepared them whenever the royals wanted to go for a ride. However, even though he had been working for royalty for innumerable years, never once had he laid his golden eyes on any of their faces. Whenever they came down to the stables, only Oishi Shuichirou and Kikumaru Eiji were allowed to see him. He had heard it was a rule that came from the higher-ups. With a sigh, he began to reminisce.

Ryoma grew up on the streets of the city, like many children of his status. Although the kingdom of Seigaku looked rich, there were many homeless people living in poverty within the alleyways that no one knew about. They lived by stealing from the venders' and merchants' carts while they weren't looking.

One day, Ryoma was out for a stroll in his ragged and torn clothing when he accidentally tripped and bumped into someone. This someone was Oishi Shuichirou, and somehow they ended up talking. Well, more like Oishi asked questions while Echizen gave weary one-word answers. That inevitably lead to Oishi taking him to the palace stables to work.

Normally, this wasn't allowed, but because Atobe was having a good day, he had allowed it and informed the King and Queen. They didn't mind it, and that was how Echizen came to work in the stables.

Of course, it had been a bit hard to learn everything about how to groom and saddle a horse, but thanks to Echizen being a fast learner, he picked it up in a couple of weeks. Ever since that day, he has been working and living there.

Drawing himself back to reality, Echizen climbed atop his horse and trotted back to the royal stables. Suddenly the realization hit him, nearly causing him to fall of his mount. Saeki had said 'Syuusuke'. Did that mean Syuusuke was the Prince?

'Its just a coincidence,' he thought, trying to convince himself. There was no way Syuusuke was the prince. For one thing, the prince wasn't allowed out of the palace without guards, and especially in commoner's clothing.

Upon his arrival, Kikumaru pounced on Echizen and promptly began yelling incohorent things while nuzzling the poor boy.

"Ochibi! You're back! Did you get the things I asked you to? Did you see anything cool in the marketplace? Did you see any pretty girls? Nya! Some royal people are coming to visit, so you have to get the horses ready. Ne, Oishi-"

"Kikumaru-senpai, please get off of me!" Ryoma said trying to wriggle out of the clutches of the hypersensitive Eiji.

"What's going on?" The concerned voice of Oishi floated through the room.

"Ochibi is back!" Eiji exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feet and letting out a sound that was relative to 'squee'.

"I see. Well, you have to get to work, Echizen-kun. Atobe-san is expecting Eiji and I up at the manor. You need to get five horses groomed and saddled. Fuji-sama is having some guests over and he plans on taking a ride. Also, make sure all of the horses have food and water-." Oishi continued to list off different tasks for Echizen to complete.

"Hai, senpai," the youth muttered as he folded his hands behind his head and walked off into the deeper part of the stable to start on his daily work.

Meanwhile, Fuji Syuusuke was busy playing the part of a proper host. Travelling all the way from the kingdom of Hyotei were four nobles; Shishido Ryou, Ohtori Choutarou, Oshitari Yuushi, and Mukahi Gakuto. Fuji had invited them because he wanted some of his royal acquaintences to be at the ball he was supposedly hosting.

They had tea in one of the many sitting rooms of the palace and talked to each other about the daily events of their respective kingdoms. Atobe joined them a few minutes later. Since the man had come from Hyotei, they were very acquainted with each other, especially Atobe and Shishido. They had been childhood friends and knew eachother very well. Although they might not show it, one would be able to see they cared a lot for each other through the petty insults they slung back and forth.

Gakuto, being on an infinate sugar high, started to get restless.

"Ne, Fujiko-chan, can we do something besides sitting and talking?" Fuji smiled at the hyper red head.

"Sure, Gakuto. Come, lets go for a ride, ne?" Gakuto smiled and tugged Oshitari along with him. Ohtori and Shishido followed quietly, with the odd polite comment from Ohtori along the way. Atobe left to attend to his other duties.

As quintet neared the stables, Ryoma took notice of them. Eiji and Oishi hadn't returned yet, and he was starting to get worried. He assumed one of them was the prince, and his heart started to beat wildly. He could faintly hear their footsteps and voices looming nearer. The closer they got, the faster his heart began to pound. Thoughts began to run rampant through his head.

'What if Syuusuke really is the prince?'

'What would happen to me?'

'He would probably never want to talk to me again.'

'Why am I thinking like this? Its not like I like him. He's just really nice, but there's always the possibility-'

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the stable door. Ryoma's entire body stiffened. It took him a minute to snap out of it. He straightened up, dusted off his shirt, and smoothed down his hair. He walked to the door as calmly as he could and opened it.

"Greetings. How may I help you today, sir?" He said politely, not bothering to look at who it was.

He let out a tiny sigh -was it disappointment?- when he looked up and saw it was merely a servant.

"The young master requests that you provide him and his guests horses fit for riding," the white haired young man said in a crisp tone. Ryoma bowed and answered with a small 'right away, sir.' He went into the stables and began leading the horses out and tying them to the post outside. 

Meanwhile, Fuji was told to wait with his friends in the ranch. They were all in their riding outfits, and each of the held a riding crop in their leather gloved hands. They were chatting amongst themselves, when Fuji excused himself.

He was getting anxious.

Fuji knew Echizen was working in the stables. However, if he wanted to see him, he had to go in himself. He saw Saeki standing beside the horses, petting them softly. The scene was heart-warming. Saeki was smiling and talking to one of the horses, Fuji's favorite to be exact. The horse nodded at some of Saeki's comments, like he understood what the other man was saying. Saeki caught Fuji's movements in his peripheral vision and turned to bow.

"The horses are ready, Fuji-sama. You are free to ride them when you and your friends please," he said, body still in a deep and respectful bow.

"Thank you, Saeki," Fuji nodded to dismiss him. Saeki turned and headed back up to the palace. Fuji watched him a moment, then stepped in front of the stable door.

Echizen had heard Fuji's voice through the door and shivered. It was the same honey voice he had heard the other day. He started humming to keep his nerves down. Ryoma wasn't used to being nervous and he never wanted to experience it again.

The knock on the door had startled him out of his thoughts. He glanced wearily at the heavy wooden door. He really wasn't supposed to open it. He wasn't allowed to see the prince face to face, even if he might have already accidentally seen him. He really should wait for Eiji or Oishi to come back.

But he didn't.

With those thoughts running through his head, he cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and opened the door.

"How may I help you?" He said in the most polite voice he could muster, bowing deeply.

"Maa, Echizen. I never knew you worked in the royal stables," Fuji said, his brightest smile plastered on his face.

**TBC.**

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Ohtori Choutarou

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A/N: Please review. Flames accepted, but not appriciated. Constructive critism helpful, but please, try not to sound hateful. Comments loved.  
Thanks for reading!  



	5. Five V

A/N: Okay. Chapter Five. Sorry for the wait, and sorry if it's not up to standards. ;; Just...read. xDD

Disclaimer: I do not own the character's or personalities of Prince of Tennis. HOWEVER. I have full control over what they do in this fic. Neither do I own any of the cinderella stories.

Warning: This may not be the fairytale you all want to happen.

In This Chapter: **No warnings for this chapter.  
**

Summary: AU/Thrill Pair/Dont you hate those cliche cinderella stories? Well, here's another one for you. Fuji Syuusuke, the first son of the King and Queen of Seigaku, was giving a ball, and every eligable woman in the country was invited. His mother went behind his back, just because she wanted an heir to the throne, after Syuusuke. Syuusuke always felt trapped within the castle walls, but one day, on his daily sneakings from the castle, he bumps into a small golden eyed boy and he knew from the look in his eyes, that he felt the same way. /Slightly based on Cinderella. The Movie. The one with Brandy and Whitney Huston in it/

Other little things you might not be aware of:

-_Lyrics_  
-_'Thoughts'_  
-**Emphasised Word**

**BETA'ED VERSION! THANKS TRUMPET-GEEK! MUCH LOVE!  
**

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** Are You The Sweet Invention of a Lover's Dream?**  
Chapter 5. A Second Meeting

Echizen froze where he stood, half bent over and in the process of bowing to Fuji. It felt like he had been there for an hour, even though it was only a couple of seconds. He had completely expected this and yet he still hadn't stood, even while Fuji was looking at him oddly in a way only Fuji could while still smiling.

The one thought that kept running through Echizen's head was that he wasn't supposed to be allowed to see the prince's face.

_'That doesn't matter, because you've already seen his face… If it's the same person you are thinking of,'_ a voice in the back of his head presented informed him. _'Right_,' he thought dumbly. Slowly he lifted his head, followed by the rest of his body, until he was standing up straight. He was only a few inches shorter than the prince, but it wasn't that noticeable from far away.

He looked at Fuji, and he was suddenly reminded of how beautiful the prince was. He kept his mouth shut to make sure he wouldn't say anything that would resemble an answer to Fuji's previous statement. Even though he agreed with the kingdom that the prince's beauty rivaled no other, he turned his head to the side. He thought that a poor, lower-class boy like him didn't deserve to look at someone from a high class as elegant as Fuji. Echizen let his arms hang at his sides in an ungraceful manner as he addressed the prince with the same question as before.

"May I ask what you need help with, your Highness?" He asked, forced politeness drenching his words. He dare not mention that he had already asked Fuji the question before. To the eyes of a pompous upper-class man, it would seem as if he was insulting his intelligence. However, Fuji was far from that.

Fuji answered him by humming as his eyes opened thoughtfully to focus on Echizen. He stepped closer, his long coat clinging to his shoulders and billowing in the gust of wind behind him. A slender, pale hand reached up and lightly touched the side of Echizen's face as Fuji spoke to him. "Echizen, you know it's rude to not look at the person you are talking to," Fuji said, calmly turning Echizen's face towards his. Echizen didn't struggle, but still kept his eyes downcast. Fuji tilted his head upward so he could stare into his golden eyes and Echizen stared back into Fuji's eyes. At the same moment, a single thought crossed both of their minds.

_'He has the most magnificent eyes.'_

Fuji's eyes narrowed slightly as the corner of his lips twitched upward at the boy, still holding his chin captive. To Echizen, it seemed like Fuji's face was getting closer, but he thought it was just his imagination. His ears twitched when he heard footsteps in the distance, but the prince made no gesture to signal that he heard, or even cared that someone may catch them in that compromising position.

When Echizen's attention turned back to Fuji, he found their faces were merely inches apart. His heart started beating faster when he spotted Oishi and Kikumaru approaching out of his peripheral vision, but by the way their frames were relaxed and slouched they hadn't noticed that the prince was there with him yet. He stared up into those piercing cerulean orbs again before bringing his hand up and clasping it around Fuji's. Echizen's hand clutched tighter around the one on his face, Fuji slightly flinching at the grip on his hand, and pushed it away. Fuji let his hand hang at his side as he watched Echizen bow messily and mumble an apology before turning around and running into the depths of the stable.

--

Upon arriving at the stables, Kikumaru had spotted the prince and gasped loudly, turning to Oishi and staring at him with a confused expression. Fuji turned around and smiled at them, plastering his trademark expression on his face. He nodded once and turned towards where the horses were waiting for him to bring them to his anxious friends.

When the prince and his horses were out of hearing range, Kikumaru had turned to Oishi and said, "What about Echizen?" Oishi stared back at his partner with a worried expression on his face. They were both thinking the same things, a result of being around each other for so long. Thoughts like 'Why had the prince been there?' or 'What if Echizen had seen him?' kept racing through their heads. They didn't know what was going to happen, seeing as Atobe hadn't unleashed his wrath on anyone…_ yet_.

"Oishi, do you think…" Kikumaru said. Oishi looked towards the stable doors and then back at Kikumaru.

"I'm not sure Eiji. Let's see if Echizen was here first," he said with a stern face. Kikumaru nodded and walked to the large wooden doors and pushed it open wider so he could get inside, waving at Oishi, telling him to follow, and he did.

--

Echizen had run away, not knowing what else to do. He didn't know what happened to people who weren't allowed to see the prince, and he certainly didn't want to be the first to find out. He escaped through the back door of the stable and darted down the hallway to his room. He jumped on the bed to reach the window sill and climbed out the window. He landed in a pile of hay and ran out into the fields where the horses were grazing. He hopped the fence and walked slowly to one of the horses, a brown one with a small strip of white between its eyes and patches of white on its ankles. Echizen patted the horse's neck and ran his fingers slowly through its thick black mane. The horse brought its head up and nuzzled the hand that was in its mane. He smiled softly at the horse and patted its nose.

The horse whinnied at him and turned its head to where the prince was with the other four horses. From where Echizen stood, he could see Prince Fuji and his friends riding around in the corrale. Fuji was laughing with a bright smile on his face, and his companions were also smiling and laughing along with him.

His other four friends, he noticed, were separated into two pairs. One pair, made of a tall silver haired male and a shorter brown haired male, was standing beside each other with their horses. They looked like they were about to head out of the corrale and into the fields to gallop around the castle grounds. The other pair consisted of a tall blue haired male with glasses, and a small red-headed male, or female, he wasn't sure. They were prancing around in the corrale, going over jumps and looked like they were playing horse tag with Fuji.

Echizen patted the horse on the nose and had run his hands through its silky mane one last time before turning around and walking towards a small lake located just a bit away from the grazing field. He hopped the fence again and strolled through the tall grass. When he got there, he let his eyes rake over the shimmering surface of the water, the color reminding him of Fuji's eyes. Unconsciously, his hand reached up and touched the spot where Fuji's hand had been only minutes before.

When he realized what he was doing, he slapped his hand back down and stared at it.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" He thought out loud. "It probably has something to do with being around horse crap all day long," he muttered. 

**TBC.**

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Ohtori Choutarou

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A/N: Sorry for the abrupt stop, but I needed to get this out there. I know you were all desperately waiting for it to come. Dx. Please review. Makes me write more. And tips and stuff are very useful. Flames...yuck. 


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